Locksmith sticker debate rages on

Beware burglars posing as locksmiths

The story I reported about locksmiths stickers being used by potential burglars has taken some twists and turns in the last few days.

The story was originally reported on the BBC website about a burglary in Wandsworth, but doubt has now been cast on whether this is just some form of advertising as the practice is clearly more widespread, including in Waltham Forest.

Stella Creasy, MP for Walthamstow has been tweeting about it and the local press have taken up the story but it seems the police are now no longer sure that these stickers are all associated with burglary gangs.

Whether these stickers are part of crime or just a marketing technique the advice would surely be the same. If they appear on your letterbox, take them off. And if they are being put there by locksmiths the advice to them must surely be: you need to rethink your marketing, because even if this technique used to work, it’s unlikely to now!

This site is no longer being updated

November 2013:
This site is no longer being regularly updated as I have moved from Leytonstone. I hope you have enjoyed using this site. A lot of text and pictures will still be relevant for a long time to come but please check other information in case it is out of date.